


Tony Stark's Love Letters

by ICanDoThisAllDayy



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Big Brother Thor (Marvel), Bisexual Steve Rogers, Bisexual Tony Stark, Bruce Banner Is a Good Bro, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Holding Hands, How Do I Tag, I Tried, I'm Bad At Tagging, Inspired by To All The Boys I've Loved Before, James "Rhodey" Rhodes is a Good Bro, Jealous Natasha Romanov, Jealous Tony Stark, Jealousy, Kid Peter Parker, Love Letters, M/M, Mentioned Friends, Misunderstandings, Multi, Natasha Romanov Has Issues, Parent Nick Fury, Pining, Pining Tony Stark, Protective Vision (Marvel), Sassy Peter, Sassy Tony Stark, Steve Rogers Feels, Stony is endgame, Thor (Marvel) is a Good Bro, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony-centric, lots of holding hands
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-24
Updated: 2019-09-13
Packaged: 2020-10-01 18:56:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20372428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ICanDoThisAllDayy/pseuds/ICanDoThisAllDayy
Summary: Long Story Short: The letters are out. Tony Stark needs damage control.(Inspired by: To All The Boys I've Loved Before)





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is basically an MCU AU in the "To All The Boys I've Loved Before" setting.
> 
> I absolutely adored the movie and Tony is a chaotic bi and there is no better character to be our main than him!
> 
> I also apologise in advance if some of the sibling dynamics is a bit hard to grasp at first (but that is why I am trying to provide the ages and backstory of the character so it gets easier)!
> 
> Here's the prologue! I really hope you enjoy xoxo

Living in the SHIELD Vicinity was a disaster for Tony Stark. A _bi-saster_, if you may say. It was hard for him to stay away from people who caught his eye. Which was why it did not come as a surprise when he developed a crush on his usually calm neighbour, Bruce Banner. Except there was a problem… Tony and Bruce had been close friends. Oh, and, Bruce was dating his brother, Thor.

Well, not _brother_ per se. Thor Odinson, Peter Parker and him have all lived under the roof of their caretaker Nick Fury for as long as Tony could remember. Having practically grown up together, he considered Thor as his elder brother and Peter as his younger 11-year-old sibling. Their bond is one that surprised the SHIELD agents but was also one of the few glimpses of normal family life in the neighbourhood. Tony’s biological parents both passed away when he was just 5 in a car accident. As did Thor and Peter’s parents, under different circumstances. Fury was the closest thing Tony had to a parent and for that, he was quietly grateful.

Tony’s crushes weren’t a problem for him. Nobody paid much attention to him either in the neighbourhood or at school anyway. He was at most known as the boy who spent time in laboratories, messing around with mechanics. Fury said it was in his genetics, after all, his real father Howard Stark was an inventor. His mother, from what little he remembers when he was just a child, was the gentlest being. There is a Stark Expo held every year in memoriam of them, but Fury firmly stopped him from going, claiming the inventions and gadgets were far too advanced for his age.

That did not stop Tony, _obviously_. And so, every year he snuck into the Expo. Partly because the event was a physical reminder of his heritage, partly because he did love inventing. Five years ago, when he was admiring an arc reactor which potentially could become a self-sustaining energy source, a like-minded boy stood next to him, “Maybe they should change the light to blue, eh? It’ll be easier on the eyes”.

Tony turned around to see a boy, roughly his age, wearing a US Military varsity jacket, “Yeah, they should… Uh, I’m Tony.” He extended his hand and his new acquaintance took it, “James Rhodes. Tony Stark, right? Call me Rhodey.”

Tony and Rhodey walked the Expo together, discussing various inventions and critiquing them in standards way out of sixth-graders. The entire evening, Tony felt a tingling sensation throughout his body, it was only later at night he realised Rhodey would be his first-ever crush. Unsure of whether he would ever see Rhodey again and talk to him like that, he wrote him a letter.

Since then, Tony has had an average of one crush every year, with a dedicated letter to each of them. After Rhodey, it was Steve Rogers in 7th grade, Stephen Strange on a Science Fair in Hong Kong during 8th grade, Pepper Potts from Model United Nations in 9th grade, and Bruce last year.

These letters were to help Tony figure out his feelings, but since he was a drama queen, after all, he dug out their addresses (thanks to Fury’s reach in SHIELD) and put them on the envelope. God forbid if those letters ever went out…


	2. Goodbye, Brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Big Brother is leaving and it's all downhill for Tony from there onwards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said updates every Saturday and Wednesday but I had only the prologue so I guess there can be 2 chapters in a day today, hehe xx

Thor, Tony and Peter heard a knock on the door when they got downstairs, “I’m not too late, am I?” Thor went over to Bruce and shared a tiny peck, “I was trying to meditate but ended up falling asleep.” Tony was giving him the heart eyes from the staircase as Bruce hadn’t seen him yet. He was also immune to their PDA since he had third-wheeled all their dates, “Smells good, Agent Fury.”

“Oh, hey Bruce,” Fury’s voice was indifferent as he shouted back, trying to clean up after his kitchen mess.

“Hey, Tony!” Tony gave Bruce a shy smile_, something friends do, totally normal, I-do-not-have-a-crush-on-him_.

They all sat down at the dining table, trying to avoid commenting at Fury’s failed attempt of Manakeesh. Nick cleared his throat, “Uh, I think I may have missed the most important ingredient, cheese.”

Thor rubbed his forehead before getting up, “You know what Fury, that’s fine. We can just sprinkle a lot of cheese on top of it.” He hurriedly disappeared into the kitchen.

“I can’t believe we’re not going to see him until Thanksgiving”, muttered Peter.

“Gonna be Christmas actually, Norway is too far to come back just for Thanksgiving.”

Tony scoffed, “Wait, you’re kidding right? We’re not gonna see him till Christmas?!”

Fury adjusted his eye patch, “Let’s look on the bright side. Thor won’t be taking the car every day, so you can practice your drivi-“

“I forgot I have to drive with Tony now”, Peter groaned in a way only an eleven-year-old would.

“Well feel free to take the bus underoos.”

Thor joined back, hands full of all the cheese he could find in the kitchen, “What’d I miss?”

“We were talking about what a bad driver Tony is.”

“Alright Peter, no more help with your homework from me.” He pointed at his younger brother to establish the little authority he could exert.

Bruce laughed at their easy-going banter, “Yeah, we were also talking about aeroplanes, which, speaking of…” He fished in his pockets, “I have a surprise for you.”

Thor looked pleasantly surprised, “Oh!” He took the paper from Bruce and raised his eyebrows at Tony, wondering what it could be.

“You couldn’t come home for Thanksgiving, I figured I’d bring home to you.” Thor’s smile faltered as he opened it, “It’s a plane ticket! I’m coming to Norway.”

Fury failed to see that though, patting Bruce on his back, “Hey hey hey, look at Bruce stepping up!”

Thor interjected, “You… You already paid for this?”

Bruce felt nervous now, “Yeah, I had a Google alert set for flights as soon as you decided you wanted to go help with New Asgard there.” He got up and walked towards Thor, “Why?”

Thor faced away from him and awkwardly cleared his throat, not wanting to talk about this in front of his family yet. Peter sensed the tension in the air and tried to diffuse it, “Now that Thor will be gone, can we _please_ keep a pet spider?”

* * *

Well after dinner, Tony was back into his room, digging out his Stark Expo box.

This box held his most secret possession, his letters. He took Bruce’s out. Rereading his letters reminded Tony of how powerful his emotions are. Thor would say he was being dramatic (if he ever found out), but to Tony, drama could be fun.

“What’re you doing on the floor?” Thor’s voiced boomed across his room.

“No-Nothing.” He frantically put the letter back in the box and pushed it under his bed.

Thor put down a huge empty carton in front of Tony, “Your room’s a mess,” and laid on his bed, exhausted.

Tony sat on the other side of the bed, watching over his elder brother, “Are you okay?”

“Hm? Yeah… I just broke up with Bruce, so I don’t know.”

Tony could not believe his ears, “You did _what_?! I thought it was just a normal couple’s fight! Why?”

Thor didn’t bulge, “Well, before my mother died, she said I should never make promises I can’t keep.”

“But Thor… you love him!”

For a big guy, Thor looked small when hiding his face under a pillow, “I know.”

Tony shook his head, never understanding how Thor’s thought process works, “So, do you think you might change your mind?”

Thor sat back up, “No,” his voice sounding more resolute. “It’s over… Anyway, when I was packing,” Tony gave him his best what-the-fuck look at the abrupt change of topic, “I had Fury make a box of things to take to Goodwill. I think you should do it too, I made you a box.”

Tony looked around his room with his chin held high, “Yeah no I love all that I have.”

Thor held Tony by the shoulders, “Tones, I’m leaving tomorrow. That means you’re going to be the biggest brother and mentor. You need to set a good example for Pete.” Tony looked guilty, but only slightly, “no coffee before and with every meal and… a clean room, please”.

Tony sounded tiny, “Can we go back to talking about how you’re sad instead? I don’t like this attention”.

Thor hugged him tightly, “Will you be alright?”

“Did you _have_ to go to Norway for volunteering? I mean… who am I supposed to eat lunch with?” Tony broke away to mock-glare at Thor.

Knowing the genius all too well, Thor just softly smiled, “I think you should look at this as an opportunity to branch out, make some new friends.”

“No. Noooopeeeeeee.”

“It’s junior year! You never know what could happen.”

“Exactly what I’m afraid of.”

“If you need me, I’m just an electronic mail away.”

“For God’s sake, Thor call it what it is! An e-mail! It’s easier.”

* * *

The first day back to school was overwhelming for Tony, to say the least. He had to face Bruce in the corridor awkwardly once he was over the horrendous “Welcome back!” messages. And when it seemed alright with Bruce, he bumped into -

“Ouch! Excuse you!”

“Oh, my God.” Tony turned around to see the redhead’s face turning the same shade as her hair, “I’m so sorry, Nat, I wasn’t paying attention.”

She nonchalantly fixed her hair, “Huh, it’s you”.

Nat. Natasha. One of the famous girls in school now. Tony Stark’s best friend then. Post-middle school, due to them being on two ends of the popularity spectrum, they had a fallout.

Nat eyed Tony harshly, “Nice tie.” Tony blushed because friends or not, he was not used to receiving compliments, “Can I have a cheeseburger, please?”

Tony quickly put on his mask again, “Yeah well it’s called fashion, sweetie. Look it up.”

“Your tie is amazing!” Tony looked over his shoulder and saw Vision coming over and he let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, “Not everybody can pull it off, you know. Tony can rock it!” Vision put his arm around Tony, letting Nat know he wasn’t alone. “But for you, Nat, well, let’s just say it’s probably a good thing you’re playing it safe holding a Starbucks cup while wearing Uggs.” Tony snorted and tried to cover his mouth out of feigning politeness.

Vision was Tony’s best friend. His only friend. Funny enough, they became friends over the motto “An enemy of my enemy is my friend”.

“Hey, babe!”

Tony raised his eyebrows, resisting the urge to gag as Steve hugged Nat from behind. Yes, _the _Steve Rogers from 7th grade. If Tony was honest with himself, he knew his fallout with Nat was because of Steve.

_It was Tony’s first proper party without the parents. Everyone at that time knew that Steve and Nat, who Tony was still BFFs with, only wanted to kiss each other. So when Spin-The-Bottle picked Tony and Steve, Tony was shit-scared, “I can spin the bottle again,” he blurted, trying to calm himself down rather than Nat._

_Steve just shrugged his shoulders, “You can’t cheat the bottle”. Tony whispered “I’m sorry” to Nat and closed his eyes, waiting for Steve to kiss him because sure-as-heck he didn’t want Nat to get furious. And while the kiss lasted 0.1 seconds, it changed Tony’s life. Forever._

“So, I was just complimenting Tony on his cheeseburgers tie.” That snapped Tony back from his tiny flashback. “Let’s hope he doesn’t eat that for lunch now. Anyway, I see someone we need to say hi to.” Tony and Vision passed each other a look, then stared at Steve for an explanation.

He scratched his head, “Uh… She just stopped drinking caffeine for some diet, I think she’s in withdrawal, so…”

Tony crossed his arms because he thought Steve was smarter than this stupid excuse, “Are you sure she just doesn’t have a chemical imbalance?”

Steve blinked his eyes in the midst of passive-aggressiveness and ran after Nat.

“Ugh, couples. Am I right?” Tony smiled and they headed to their classroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think about the characters and their friendships? I'm trying my very best to have the MCU dynamics show in here and the reason I chose Nat to be dating Steve is bc:  
1: I know many people ship SteveNat  
2: Nat did go from being Team Iron Man in CA:CW to being a fugitive/nomad with Steve later on soooo -
> 
> I'm trying to work on my writing so I'd really love any criticisms/feedback on the style of writing ❤️Which other characters do you think will appear next? Have a guess and leave it in the comments below 🙈


	3. Sorry for jumping you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The letters are out. Tony faces confrontation and an idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am loving the writing process for this because it's such a good trope ahhh :'D
> 
> Tony interacts with many different people in the fic and I love how he is so open with some! Giving myself the soft!Tony content I deserve hehe xx

“OMG the middle school cafeteria is so ginormous! Liz wanted to sit next to me at lunch, but so did Ned and so did MJ. So, I ended up rotating so everyone had time to sit next to me, you know?” Peter looked at his elder brother with twinkling eyes as they walked to their car.

Tony thought back at his lunchtime, sitting with Bruce at the bleachers because he didn’t know anyone else in the cafeteria.

They decided they were still cool with each other. Whatever Tony felt about him now, he would never do that to Thor. Clearly, Peter was having a better social life than he was, “Yeah, I can relate”. When they both got into the car, Peter reached into his bag for a helmet. Tony looked at him deadpan, “Pete, is that really necessary?”

He secured the helmet on his head, “I can’t believe for someone so into mechanics you suck at driving!”

“Language kiddo!” Tony immediately almost crashed into someone while reversing his car out of the car park, eliciting a “told you so” from Peter.

“Woah woah woah!” Tony looked into the mirror. _Ugh,_ _Not again_. He waited for the tap on his window and rolled it down to face his inevitable embarrassment.

“You know people usually check behind them before they reverse to avoid killing others. It’s a thing we do,” how Steve managed to have a serious conversation while looking like a golden retriever will never be comprehensible to Tony.

_Focus, damnit._ “Yeah, I’m just not completely comfortable with using my mirrors yet, so…”

“Ahan,” Steve raised one eyebrow, “clearly... Think you’re gonna be able to make it out of the parking lot?”

Tony went into defensive mode, having to deal with Steve twice in a day obviously more draining than he expected, “Yeah. We’re fine. So you should just go, seriously.” He looked at Steve but immediately turned to Peter, not having the courage to stare back into the blue eyes judging him.

Steve tapped the door once more, “Sure, whatever you say, Stark.” He looked past Tony and pointed at Peter, “You’re in charge.” Tony commanded Peter to stop smiling as Steve was leaving, but all the youngling said in response was “I like him”.

* * *

After a long week at school of avoiding people, Tony stayed in on Saturday night for his guilty pleasure: Binge-watching _Friends_.

“Hey, what do you think Thor’s doing tonight?”

Peter responded without missing a beat, “Hammered.”

Tony scrunched his nose and hit Peter’s leg, “Pete! Why would you say that?”

“I mean, he’s out there building the village. He’s… using his hammer to build things. Not getting drunk, that’s not what I meant.”

Tony softened at the response and leaned back into the sofa again, “It’s weird not having him here, huh?”

Peter sat back straight, “It’s weird not having Bruce here, too. I miss his Chandler impression. ‘Could I _be_ wearing any more clothes’?” The two brothers shared a laugh before Peter continued, “Tony, if you had a boyfriend or a girlfriend, maybe you wouldn’t have to drive at all, cause they’ll bring us places”.

Tony threw a cushion at him, “If that’s what it takes, I think you’re stuck with me.”

Peter dodged the throw, “What about the guy you almost killed the other day?”

Tony’s mood wavered, his focus elsewhere now than on their TV screen, “Steve Rogers? He’s dating Nat.”

“So?” Peter shuffled before finally settling next to Tony, “Don’t you find it kinda depressing that it’s Saturday night, and you’re having a _Friends_ marathon with your little brother?”

Tony hated losing, so he didn’t want to admit his brother was right, “Pfft, no. I love _Friends_, and I love hanging out with you.”

“Okay,” Tony ruffled Pete’s hair, “I’m not telling you this to make you feel bad, but, Tony, I’m 11… and I cancelled plans to be here tonight. And well, you’re 16, and I don’t think you had anything else going on. Am I right?”

He stopped running his hand and softly smacked Peter’s head instead, “That is way harsh, Pete.”

The smirk in Peter’s voice was unmissable, “The truth hurts, Tony”.

* * *

If it weren’t for Vision, Tony would be found in the medical room with some excuse to avoid physical education. “So, what’d you do last night?”

“I finished another chapter on Newton’s laws. I think I can get ahead.”

“Alright, heir to the Stark Industries,’ Vision joked.

Tony gave a scandalised expression, “That’s my birthright!”

As they were jogging, they heard Steve catching up to them, “Hey! Can I talk to you?”

Tony started running backwards, “Who, me?”

Steve looked a bit uncomfortable, “Uh, yeah”.

Viz joined in their little triangle of joggers, “Hey Steven, I heard Nat dumped you for a college student, that true?”

“I heard you have a computer for a brain. Is that true, Viz?”

“Yeap. Works faster than your reflexes,” He threw in a little wink just for the fun.

Steve abruptly stopped, “I need to talk to Tony”, he stared at Vision, hoping he could get the hint, “Alone”.

Tony scratched his ear, feeling uneasy at the fact one of his ex-crushes should want to talk alone, but gestured Vision to go away anyway. He then eyed Steve expectantly, lowkey curious as to why Steve would want this.

“Look, I wanted to say that I really… I appreciate it, but it’s never gonna happen.”

Tony was many things but not a mind reader, “What the fuck are you on Rogers?”

“Okay…” Steve looked at the ground, “From what I remember, that kiss was hot, you know, for being in 7th grade.” Tony widened his eyes in horror of what he was hearing, “And look, I think it’s really cool you think my eyes have the depths of the oceans.”

It was then Tony looked at what Steve was holding. _Fuck my life_.

The letter. Tony thought he could have fainted.

He did, because he woke up to Steve shaking his arm and imploring him to wake up, “Are you okay? Here, give me your hand.” Tony blindly obliged, “And the other one, too. Come on, you got this. Here we go… And you’re up.”

Once Tony got into an upright position, he spotted Bruce entering the track, with a letter Tony knew all-too-well in his hands too. _Oh, my God_. In a moment of desperation and panic, he did what he thought best: Push Steve Rogers to the ground and kiss him. When he broke apart, he ran out of the tracks, thanking and leaving a very confused Steve still on the ground.

He ran all the way to the library, the best hiding spot for introverts. Except Tony had used up all his good luck. Because the next person who spotted him was Rhodey.

“Hey, Tony, you good?”

“…No.” All Tony wanted to do was to dive into the world of this book he picked up and never come back into real life.

“Look, I didn’t mean to barge in on you. I saw you run in here and I wanted to make sure you’re alright, and, uh…” He took out his letter, “thought you might want that back. Seemed a little personal.”

Tony put down his book and sighed defeatedly, “Rhodey, please know that I wrote this years ago.”

“Stark Expo, right?” Tony held his head in his hands, “I had a lot of fun that night, too. And while I’m flattered, I should let you know I’m straight. You knew that, right?”

* * *

Tony sprinted up to his room when they got home. _This couldn’t have been. The letters were just there last night._ As he had suspected, the Stark Expo box was missing. He had 2 suspects: Either Fury threw away the box because it was a Stark Expo property and he had not wanted Tony to go. Or it was Peter. But when even did Peter mail the letters?

He ran back down, “Have you seen a Stark Expo box?”

Nick Fury crossed his arms in disappointment, “Wow. No ‘Hi, Fury’. No ‘Why are you home early?’ Maybe because the mission was easy peasy lemon squeezy, the agen –“

“Fury I just really need to know where my Stark Expo box is, okay? That’s the only representation of my parents and it’s very important.” Tony felt like he was having a small, induced panic attack.

Fury threw his hands in the air as defence, “I don’t know _Mister_ Stark, maybe it went out with the Goodwill boxes.”

Tony’s breath was turning short and laboured, “The goodwill boxes? No…No…No…” He ran back to his room while shouting to nobody in particular, “I hate everyone!”

So, the letters were out. There was nothing Tony could do about it. The silver lining, though, Stephen’s letter was addressed to the Science Fair address, so at least he’ll never find out how hard Tony was crushing after the wink.

He heard their doorbell ring as Peter joined him in his room, “Bruce is here!”

Tony bribed Peter into fiddling around with his mini inventions when he jumped out his window, “You never saw me”.

As Tony landed with a thud, he heard Peter yell “Yeet!”

* * *

Tony walked to the Corner Café (SHIELD’s lack of creative names) to blow some steam off. Just as his order came in, though, he spotted Steve entering the café. Without breaking the eye contact, Steve took a seat next to Tony.

“Oh… Anything for your friend?”, asked the waitress.

Tony gulped and looked straight at the wall, “This guy is not with me”, vaguely gesturing in Steve’s direction.

“I’d like one of your chocolate shakes, thanks uh…” Steve squinted to get a better look at the name tag, “May”.

Tony felt so uncomfortable he wanted the ground to swallow him whole, “So, Rogers, what’re you doing here?”

“What do you mean? I’m just here to take down the shake.” The indifference in Steve’s voice bothered Tony greatly.

Tony ferociously nodded his head, “Cool cool cool”.

Steve let out a sigh, “Actually, I stopped at your house. Your brother said you’d probably be here”.

Tony looked affronted, “Excuse me? Are you stalking me?”

He rubbed his neck, “Well yeah… but I just want to clear things up. Is that cool?”

Tony held onto his drink a little tighter, “…okay”.

“Tony, I’m flattered, I really am. But Nat and I, like, _just_ broke up so –“

“Are you trying to reject me?” Tony put on his sunglasses. Others may think he was silly to be wearing sunglasses indoors but for him, it was a coping mechanism of all things problematic.

Steve shifted glances across the café, “Yeah, it didn’t really seem like it took the first time.”

“Steve Rogers, I’m not trying to date you.” _Chipped. Precise. To the point._

Steve got uneasy in his seat, “Yeah, but your mouth is saying something, but your mouth _said_ something different.”

“Eh? What?” If Tony were a cartoon, his eyes would have popped out, “Alright buddy so here’s the thing,” He took off his glasses, “I don’t actually like you. I just had to make it _look_ like I liked you so someone _else_ wouldn’t think I liked them.”

Steve nodded his head along slowly, “Oh, okay, who?”

_God, please make him shut up, _“What?”

“Who? You gotta tell me who this mystery person is,” Tony hated how practical Steve was and how he always made sense, “otherwise I’m gonna go on believing you have a secret tattoo with my name on.”

Tony’s mouth was left hanging at the thought of getting a tattoo in the first place, “No”.

Steve quietly thanked May for the shake before returning to the conversation, “Should I tell the school that you wrote me a love letter then?”

“Wow Rogers, you are _not_ what you look like.” He ran his hand over his face, “Fine, um, it’s Bruce Banner”.

The blond almost choked on his shake, “Wait, hold on, doesn’t he date your brother? That’s like incest or something, and messed up!”

“Okay first of all. We’re all adopted brothers. Second of all, he _dated_ Thor. As in past tense.” Realising how dumb he must have sounded, Tony’s throat suddenly ran dry, “He also got a letter, so you see how awkward and complicated _that_ one’s gonna get if he thinks I like him”.

Steve furrowed his brows in disappointment, “Wait a minute, hold on. I’m not the only guy that got a letter?”

Tony rolled his eyes, “You think you’re pretty and special which makes you pretty special but you’re not all that, honey”.

Steve was taken aback by surprise, “Two guys aren’t that bad. I guess I could say I am quite special then”.

Tony let out a laugh, “Well I wrote five, so let’s go back to square one”.

“You wrote five?” Holding out his fingers as if Tony didn’t know how to count, “Damn, Stark, you’re a player.” Steve let out a chuckle he was holding back, “Who else did you write letters to?”

Tony looked back at the wall straight ahead, “If I tell you will you leave me alone?” Steve shrugged his shoulders, “Alright, James Rhodes”.

“He’s straight though. Out of our leagues. He’s dating Carol Danvers.”

Tony held onto the countertop for dramatic effect, “You don’t know that!”

“Everyone. Knows. Who else?”

“Um…someone from MUN and someone I met at a Science Fair,” Tony immediately grabbed all his belongings, “So, are we good here?”

Steve watched as Tony fidgeted around, “Um... Yeah, we’re good”.

Tony stood up to leave, “Sorry for the whole jumping you thing.”

Steve feigned indifference, “Could’ve been worse, right? So, what will you say to Banner?”

Tony reached for his glasses once more, “I guess I’m gonna have to tell the truth”.

“Yeah, but, what is the truth? Do you like him, do you _not _like him?”

“It’s not your problem, Steve. See ya,” As Tony was approaching the door, Steve held him by the elbow.

“What if you didn’t tell him?”

Tony raised his eyebrows at how stupid this sounded, “Are you kidding?”

“Hear me out. What if we let people think we were actually together?” Tony looked taken aback, “Just for a little while. And not just Banner… I mean everybody.”

Tony thought Steve was pulling his leg, so he just laughed, “Why would you want that?”

Steve shifted from leg to leg, “For starters, when Nat heard you kissed me, she went nuts. If she thinks you and I are a thing, she’ll want to get back together.”

Tony’s laughter dimmed, “So you wanna use me as your pawn?”

Steve pointed at Tony, like a teacher correcting a student’s mistakes, “Technically, you used me as your pawn first when you jumped me.” _How dare he call me out like that?_ Tony wondered to himself as he proceeded to really leave. “You don’t have to give me an answer now, just think about it, okay?”

Tony motioned his hand in the air without turning back, “Don’t hold your breath”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo, do you think Tony would take up the offer that easily??
> 
> Leave your thoughts in the comments below. 🤗
> 
> Oh and, what do you think actually happens to the letters?
> 
> (I really am pretending like nobody has seen TATBILB I'm such a clown ooof :'D)


	4. Phase I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Steve meets his fake boyfriend's family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi fellas I'd be busy tomorrow so I thought I would give an early update on Friday instead :D
> 
> PSA: Sorry in advance for my innuendo of web-shooters (in my defence far from home did that first)

After a long night of SWOT analysis, Tony walked on the football field with determination, going to battle. It wasn’t long till he spotted Steve guiding the team, throwing around orders without blinking an eye.

On the field, Steve’s presence was unprecedented. He already had the physical build to tower over any teenage kid, but captaining came as a natural instinct too. When he spoke, others actually listened because they _wanted_ to, not because they _had_ to. And, _okay fine_, maybe Tony had gotten a little thirsty the two times he had actually seen Steve in action. But in his defence, who could resist a good-looking man in a jersey, quite literally glistening with joy just because he, too, didn’t know how to lose.

Tony had a lopsided smile on his face without his brain even permitting it. No matter when he wrote the letter, the truth was, he always had a soft spot for Steve. But in recent years it had more to do with his sympathy for having to date Nat. “Hey, Capsicle!” Steve left the team huddle and walked over, “Let’s do this”.

Steve blushed and, at that moment, just as Tony could swear the sunlight hit Steve differently because he looked like a rose instead of a tomato, the captain wrapped him around his waist and kissed him. The height difference was a pain in Tony’s ass and he felt guilty for seeing Steve lean forward so much. But all that guilt soon faded away when he could taste Steve’s lip balm because _of course, he would use a vanilla chapstick_. As if Steve wasn’t already vanilla enough in Tony’s head.

The kiss lasted longer than their first two kisses, and by the time Tony broke apart and staggered back, the entire football team was staring at them. Embarrassed with all the eyes on him, he looked in the direction of Steve but not quite at him, “I… I uh… I am going to Trig”. The kiss was still reeling in his mind and he was grateful for the players not to call him out on his overly formal, “Have a nice day, carry on!”

* * *

“So, first things first, we need to have a contract so we’re on the same page about the rules.” They met up for lunch to discuss the SWOT table Tony came up with the night before.

“You got rules? You really know how to zap the fun out of a situation”, Steve grumbled. Tony brushed him off as being dramatic, which said a lot coming from a drama queen himself.

He just simply shrugged his shoulders, as if that would explain everything, “It’s important to know where you stand on certain issues… For example, I don’t want you to kiss me anymore”.

Steve’s face did a journey of comprehension, confusion, horror and shock all in 2 seconds, his piercing blue eyes now peering at Tony, “Are you crazy? Who’s gonna believe we’re in a relationship if I’m not allowed to kiss you?”

Tony held up his finger, “O-okay, you may be the James Dean of this kind of stuff but…” his voice dropped to a brittle, “I’ve never had a partner”. The truth was, Tony had ideas and an ideal for love, but he never truly experienced it.

Steve leaned back on the bench and shrugged his shoulders, “What does it matter?”

Tony let out a resigned sigh, “It matters because I don’t want all my firsts to be fake.” No matter the exterior he put up for others, Tony had always been very sensitive about love. “If I’m making out with someone, I’m gonna do it for real”.

To Steve, it all seemed like a play, “You kissed me first!” He shouted accusingly. The way his brows scrunched was adorable but Tony made a point not to call it out.

“Stop being right all the time. This is non-negotiable,” Tony picked up the pen and started scribbling again.

Steve got up to take the seat opposite Tony instead, “Fine, but we need to figure something out because people are gonna get suspicious if I’m not allowed to touch you.”

“You’re doing it again,” Steve pouted out of confusion, “You have a point.” He used the pen to scratch his head, “How about this? You can hold me by my waist at all times. I’m tiny, I fit with you perfectly. And that’s saying something because I love my personal space”.

This prompted an eye roll from Steve, albeit a harmless one, “That’s the stupidest condition because I was planning to do it any way but sure. Yeah… So, what are the rules?”

Tony got excited for the first one, “You’ll have to binge-watch _Friends_ with me.” He cleared his throat before continuing, “We can never tell anyone this relationship is fake because it would be too humiliating for both of us.”

Steve let out a _duh_, “First rule of _Fight Club_”.

Tony rolled his eyes at the stereotypical reference. He was loving the liberty of doing it since at home it was always either Thor’s or Peter’s act, “Alright… No snitching… Anything else?”

“I could…” A faint smile appeared on Steve’s too-pink lips, “I could write you notes. Every day.”

Tony scrunched his nose and beamed, “You’d do that?” Since young, he had heard stories and seen movies where handwritten letters were romanticised. That’s how he ended up writing his crushes letters too. For once, he would be on the receiving end.

“Sure. Nat was always on me to write her them. I never did, so if I start sending them to you, she’ll be pissed… it’ll be good.” Tony had no right feeling dejected so he made another mental rule for himself, “No getting attached for reals”.

Instead, he blurted out, “How romantic”.

Steve ignored his dripping sarcasm and continued, “You also have to come with me to my football games and parties.”

Tony was going to one-up him, “You have to pick up my brother and me and drive us to school every day.”

Steve rubbed his chin in a memory, “The little one in charge of the car? Yeah okay, I like him”. Steve snatched the form from Tony’s hand and had a look at it, “You’re coming on the ski trip”.

Tony felt a sudden rush of blood loss, turning pale. The ski trip was infamous for being the location where more students lost their virginity than Senior Week and Prom combined. Tony had obviously never been. “Uhm… That’s three months away. Do you think we’re still gonna be doing this?”

Steve scratched his neck, “Contingency?”, and looked up at Tony with a hopeful smile, “No one in their right mind is gonna let their partner go without them. So, if we are still doing this by the time it comes around, you _have to_ go with me”.

_As if we really could stand each other for 3 months,_ Tony was so confident about that, which is the only reason he said: “Done deal”.

* * *

Tony fixed his hair once more to make sure some strands were loose, “Come on Pete. We’re gonna be late”.

Peter took heavy steps towards their car, “I haaaaateeeee taking the bus. Can you please man up and start driving?”

Tony was savouring every bit of this. He’d definitely miss Peter’s whining, “Actually –“

_Honk._

They turned around to see Steve in his car. When he rolled his windows down, Peter squealed, “Oh hell yes!” and ran to sit in the backseat.

Tony shook his head in amusement. He hadn’t paid much attention to Steve ever since he had a fallout with Nat but he was starting to think he found a match of his own in terms of making the perfect entrances and always looking ready for a photo shoot. Case in point, the blue jumper that Steve was wearing did absolutely _nothing_ for his eyes. Or his muscles. Nope.

After they settled down, Steve turned around to the backseat, seeing Tony’s brother munching on what looked like a burrito, “Hey little Tones, what is that?”

Peter held it closer to his chest as if holding a puppy close to his heart, “A shawarma… And my name,” He threw a little glare towards Steve’s direction, “thanks for asking, is Peter Parker. Pete to my friends. You can call me Peter.”

Steve gave an amused look, “Yes sir!”, then turning to Tony, eyebrows raised, “He’s feisty”.

Tony fastened his seatbelt and smirked, “Learned from the best”.

Peter’s head popped in between them, his brown hair all over his forehead, “Sooooo how _exactly_ do you know my brother again?”

The tip of Steve’s ears turned red, “I guess I’m his boyfriend… Can I have some of that shawarma?” Peter eyed him suspiciously but gave him a bite anyway.

Steve let out a satisfied _mmmm_ after munching, “Oh, wow. That is really good!” He turned back round to look at Peter, “Hey, what do I have to do to get you to bring me one of these tomorrow?”

Peter brightened upon hearing that, “You’re driving us _again_???” Tony was definitely going to have a word with him when they get back home about how he can’t insult Tony’s driving in front of just anybody.

Steve threw a quick look of confusion at Tony before passing a smile to Peter from the mirror, “Of course.

Peter leaned back before finishing off the shawarma, “You can call me Pete!”

Steve leaned towards Tony and said into his ear, “Progress”. Tony felt himself reddening as Steve’s breath hit him, and smashed Steve’s arm playfully, “Just drive, Steven”.

* * *

Tony went from being invisible to having all pairs of eyes in the cafeteria staring at him in a matter of just days. Of course, a tall gorgeous Steve in his arm had a lot to do with it.

Steve stopped in the dead centre of the cafeteria and turned to bump their foreheads, Tony blushed at how cliched this was, “Ste-Steve, what are you doing?”

Steve looked down at his lips then back to his boding, brown eyes, “This is for you”, and handed him a small chit with “T.S. <3” on the cover. He then leaned closer and said in hushed tones, “Nat is looking, good job. I’ll see you in a bit”.

It was weird and off-putting to be congratulated on doing nothing more than accepting a note and being short enough to have the perfect height difference with his partners. But Tony walked out of the cafeteria with the thought that maybe this was his life now.

* * *

At home, Tony picked up the landline. _Who even used landline phones anymore?_

“Have you been avoiding me, Tones?”

_Ah shit._ “No Thor… I’ve uh… been busy”. Tony suddenly thanked the gods it was a landline call.

“I feel like we haven’t talked in forever,” He could hear the hurt in Thor’s voice and Tony felt miserable for being the reason behind it, “so tell me everything”.

“Well…” He fidgeted with the wire, “I’m just making web-shooters tonight for Peter’s science project”. He wasn’t lying, at least.

“Web-shooters? It’s so much easier to make those volcano eruptions. He’s just in grade 6.”

“I already prepared all the materials for the shooters, and you’re not really here, so…” He moved his other hand to build his argument as if Thor could see him and get persuaded.

He could hear Thor scoff on the other end of the line, “Okay, fine, do shooters. I’m sure they’ll be great.” Tony sighed in relief, having that topic out of the way, “So have you seen Bruce at all lately?”

He hadn’t. At least not since lunch in that first week. “Hm? What? No? Why would I be seeing Bruce?”

“He’s our neighbour... Tones… are you alright?”

“No, you know…” He knew Thor was working very hard with New Asgard and he didn’t want to worry him further. After all, Tony’s problems were your typical teenage stuff, Thor was out there helping an entire community, “You know, sorry.” Tony was glad Thor couldn’t see him sweating in panic, “I am just so excited to get to these shooters. I think I’m gonna go and do that, but it was so good to talk to you, Thor. Ok byeeeeeeee!”

Tony went down to his work station and was heavily concentrating on the design of the shooters when he heard a knock on their door. He opened the door and almost shut it just as fast upon seeing Steve.

Steve cocked his head to place it on the door frame, “Why are you all covered in pasty glue?”

“I’m just working on Peter’s web-shooters,” When Tony didn’t hear any acknowledgement, he looked up to see Steve giving him a dirty look, “For his science project, Jesus. Steve, you need the Bible”.

Steve let out a chuckle and Tony was certain he had not heard something that soothing in a long time, “Alright, sorry. Was just messing around. Can I come in?” Tony left the door open and walked back to work while Steve trailed, “You know it’s easier if you make a volcano eruption yeah? My mom used to do it for my sister.”

That didn’t stop him from working on finalizing the design, “Steven Rogers, what are you doing here?”

He placed his hands on his hips, “Did you not read my note? I’m taking you to Sam’s party.”

Tony sneered, “Oh, I’m not going to _that_”.

“Yes, you are. One, Nat is gonna be there. Two, parties are in the contract.” Till date, Tony had only heard rumours of how Steve was stubborn. Today, he was getting a first-hand experience of just _how_ stubborn.

“Sorry Steve, I can’t.” _Did Steve look ten times more attractive in that posture or was that just Tony?_

Steve’s voice was an unwavering as his faith, “A deal’s a deal.”

“You can’t what?” Tony looked up to see Fury coming in the house, “My oh my… Is that Steven Rogers?” The man in question flushed, “Little Steve Rogers! You’re as tall as me now!”

Steve extended his hand out like the gentleman he was, “Good to see you again, Agent Fury.”

Fury happily accepted the offer, “You can call me Nick”.

Tony pouted, _when was the last time he heard anyone call him Nick?_ “Oh wow! I’ve known you all my life and I still can’t call you Nick, you meet him for one minute,” he put a finger up to make his point across, “and he calls you Nick?! I’ll have you know, Agent Fury, Thor and I are very hurt.” He crossed his arms at the last moment to show just how hurt.

Steve walked towards Tony, “I’m here to pick up Tony, take him to a friend’s party. The parents _will_ be home, and I _will_ have him home early. Is it alright if we go?”

Fury eyed them both with his good eye, and Tony was scared that would shoo Steve off… Not that Tony had ever had any experience having someone apart from Vision over… But surprisingly Fury just relaxed and agreed without hesitation.

“No.” Tony blurted out, “I… I can’t go.” He gestured at his work table, “I _have_ to finish these shooters or else Pete will kill me.”

Fury walked over to Tony, massaging his shoulders a bit, “I think Pete and I can handle some shooters. Besides, Tones, did you forget I have an entire SHIELD research team under me? They’ll help.”

“Yeah well, they suck, no offence.” Tony couldn’t tell if that was a look of tenderness on Steve’s face or if he just found his dysfunctional family genuinely funny.

Fury took the designs out of Tony’s hands, “Why don’t you go have fun with your friend Steve Rogers? Get dressed, get changed, you look like a wild engineer”. Tony fell to his knees, pleading, but Fury was stronger than he looked and just pushed Tony back up towards the stairs.

Once Tony was out of the hearing field, Fury turned to Steve, interrogation mode, “No drinking. No drugs, No hands. I’ll revoke your Nick privilege otherwise”. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapters will be getting lengthier from now on but I'm trying to show how as Tony spends more time, he notices more things about Steve. Which in turns help with my character building yada yada yada, you know the usual ;)
> 
> I'd loveee feedback on this, both negative and positive, any kudos/comments are much appreciated! thanks <3


	5. Phase II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Steve and Tony have a heart to heart talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lots of hand-holding i'm sorry not sorry it's just SO SOFT i love it 😍

Tony hesitated before taking a step on the stairs, “Look, Steve, it’s not too late for me to run away.”

Steve had to listen to Tony’s rant all his way and now that they were at the gate, he was having none of it, “We’re going together,” He grabbed Tony’s wrist and led the way, “It’s in the contract”.

Before entering, Tony took out his pair of sunglasses and wore them. There was something about glasses that made him feel less vulnerable. Of course, that privilege too was taken from him when Steve took his shades away despite his protests.

“I’m keeping it… I like how emotive your eyes are. Don’t hide it from me.” Steve passed an earnest smile, “Please.” Tony stuck out his lower lip to express his melancholy, “Tony, trust me, you look handsome,” Steve took out his phone and clicked a picture with Tony’s pout still present, “I’ll prove it to you”. Steve grinned down at his screen before showing Tony the outcome.

Tony just rumbled, “Fine… But you can’t lose my glasses, those are my favourite”.

Steve hung the shades on his T-Shirt, raising his eyebrows as if asking for approval, “Deal. Now give me your phone”.

Tony crossed his arms and tapped his foot, “Why?” No way was he handing his phone out to people. He was a _teenager_, after all.

Steve just firmly kept his hand open, “Do you trust me?”

_Damn you, Rogers,_ “I do.” Tony did as he was told. Steve proceeded to take a selfie on his phone, “Wait a minute… Are you _smizing_?”

Steve winked in affirmation, “Aaaand that’s your new background.”

Tony held his head high to challenge his fake-boyfriend, “Oh yeah? What’s _your_ new background?”

Steve fondly shook his head, “Tones, come on, you know I already have it”, at the same time showing Tony his pout on Steve’s lock screen. He reached for Tony’s hand and intertwined their fingers, “Let’s go?”

Tony held onto Steve a little tighter than intended. He didn’t know something as simple as holding hands could bring him a funny feeling in the stomach that others call butterflies, “I don’t have a choice, do I?” Steve made his way through the crowd and introduced Tony to his best friend, Sam Wilson.

Calling Sam lively was the understatement of the century. Every time Tony saw him anywhere, he was always smiling and cheering people up. Perhaps that was why Tony was unprepared to be alone with Sam when Steve went to get drinks for them. It wasn’t that Tony didn’t like Sam, but it took too much in Tony to keep up the conversation. So, he was relieved when he heard someone call his name out. But when he turned, it was just Nat and Clint. Sam just smiled sympathetically and said he should go sit with them instead.

Tony took small steps towards the couch, hoping to extend the time and never eventually reaching them. Unfortunately, none of the laws of Physics worked that way. When he finally got there, he took a seat adjacent to Nat.

Clint was giving Tony a stare which made him uneasy, “So, dish. What’s up with you and Rogers?” Tony figured that it was Nat who wanted to get all the information, just too scared to ask herself.

“Oh no, don’t push him. He’s shy.” Nat put on her most condescending tone and Tony felt a little betrayed. Nonetheless, he braced himself for this.

He cleared his throat to prove Nat wrong, “What do you wanna know?”

Now Clint sounded genuine, “Everything! When? How? How far? H on B? H on C?” Nat faked a yawn, “H up and down on P? T on C?”

Tony looked at Clint like he just grew 10 heads, “Sorry, _what_ are we talking about again?”

Nat handed her drink to Clint, “You know, forget it… Clearly, they haven’t done anything.”

Tony really wished he had his sunglasses, “How would you know?”

“Because I know Steve?” She hummed and looked at Tony, “And I know you”. Tony looked down in nostalgia while Nat offered to get him drinks.

He scratched the back of his head, “Oh, uh… No thanks, Steve’s going to get me a drink”.

_Speak of the devil and he shall come_, because Steve was back with two drinks in his hands, “What’s up babe?” Nat and Clint left the couch in disgust while Steve settled in comfortably next to Tony. Steve watched them leave and a small smirk of victory was evident on his face. To take it a step further, he took out his phone and took more selfies with Tony. After taking about 15, he turned to Tony, “Do you wanna change poses?”

Tony fiddled with his fingers, “Maybe I could kiss you?” He blushed once Steve’s eyes squinted in consideration, “On the cheek, I mean. Don’t wanna gross people out with PDA.”

Steve gave him a smile that reached his eyes, a smile Tony was certain was only reserved for moments like these, “Alright, you do it”.

_“No getting attached for reals”_ Tony reminded himself.

As Tony stood up to get rid of the cups, he bumped into Rhodey. “Oh my gosh, Rhodes, I didn’t know you came”. Tony had never been happier to see a familiar face.

Rhodes fanned himself, “Well here I am! So, you’re with Rogers, huh? Guess those letters worked”.

Tony was flushed, “Yeah, but you gotta keep it a secret”.

Rhodey smirked back, “Oh no worries Tony Tones, your filthy secret’s safe with me.”

Steve reappeared after returning from the bathroom, “Hey, do you want to get out of here, go grab some food?” Steve sounded worried and agitated, as if on the edge.

Tony smiled at Rhodey to exchange goodbyes and then headed out with Steve. It was only fitting they went to the Corner Café, that was where all the ideas had started.

Steve was beaming like an athlete winning an Olympic Gold, “You did so well tonight, Nat was pissed!”

Tony nibbled on his cheeseburger, “Yeah, I just hope she doesn’t put glass in my smoothie on Monday.”

Steve slumped down further in his chair, forming an easygoing vibe, “I love how you’re not afraid of her”.

Tony choked on one bite, “Oh no, no. I am terrified.”

Steve sympathised with him, “Yeah but Tony, you don’t let her steamroll over you. Like that day in school when she was being a bitch about your tie.”

Tony put down his burger, _the_ cheeseburger, feeling incredibly insecure, “You remember that?”

“Are you kidding me, of course!” Tony managed to steal a glance of Steve before looking away again, “I mean, I couldn’t say anything because we were together and all, but that tie wasn’t just cool, I thought it was kinda hot.” Tony looked up at him again and raised his eyebrows at the scandalous statement, “Nat’s gorgeous, but you have way better style”.

Tony picked up his burger and took large bites off it, looking straight at Steve, “The burgers still look hot to you, Mr Rogers?”

Steve laughed at the silliness of it all when suddenly his phone buzzed. Tony was done eating and was just getting ready to leave when Steve put his phone down and held his head, “She makes me so angry sometimes”.

For some reason, Tony really did not want to talk about Nat while he was genuinely having a good time with Steve, “We’re… still talking about her?”

“Like tonight,” Tony knew the signs of a rant and decided to take a seat back down, “she barely talks to me when we’re at the party. Then we leave, and I have 1000 texts from her.”

Tony nodded his head in understanding, “Have you been responding?”

Steve denied, “Nah… I think I’ll just call her when I get home”.

Tony didn’t know why but he was suddenly fuming, “You guys still talk on the phone then?”

“Not as much as we used to, but yeah, sometimes.” When he didn’t hear anything back, Steve looked up to see Tony narrowing his eyes and could feel his brain working on something, “What?”

That broke Tony out of his trance, “Hmm?”

Steve vaguely motioned his hands at Tony’s face, “You do this thing, you have this whole… judgy face scenario going on.”

“I guess I just think it’s really weird you still talk to your ex-girlfriend on the phone,” Tony snapped, “It’s not healthy”.

His words set something off in Steve and he started talking back, “Oh and _you’re_ the expert? Sorry Tony, but you’ve never even had a partner.”

“You’ve only had one girlfriend,” his voice rising in retaliation, “and you’re _completely_ obsessed with her. That doesn’t necessarily make you _The Bachelor_”.

Steve shook his head in disbelief, “One, I am _not_ obsessed with her”.

Tony squinted his eyes, nodding along, “Alright. Prove it." He crossed his arms, "Don’t call her tonight.”

Steve looked around before raising his own voice, “For someone quiet all the time, you sure have a lot of opinions”.

“I think you’re just butthurt because no one’s been honest with you before.” Tony looked him in the eye as a test and for some inexplicable reason, that look immediately softened the both of them.

“Okay fine,” Steve sighed to let whatever remaining frustration escape, “be honest with me then Tony. Why haven’t you ever had a partner?”

This. Tony did not expect. He rubbed the nape of his neck to soothe himself, “I… I don’t know. I guess no one’s ever liked me like that.”

“Lies. I know that those are lies.” Tony’s eyes widened at the accusation but he let Steve continue, “I know for a fact T’Challa asked you to Spring Formal last year and you said no”.

Tony smirked, pleasantly surprised at the constant revelation that Steve knew things about him, “Are you keeping tabs on me?”

“Come on, Stark, talk to me.” Steve held out his hands as an invitation, “What happened to no secrets?”

Tony took Steve’s hands but couldn’t dare look up from his shoes, “Okay, um, love and dating? I love to hear about it, and it’s fun to watch and to think about… in my head…but,” he risked looking at Steve to see if he should still continue, “when it’s real…”

Steve ran his thumbs through Tony’s palms, almost as if he understood, “Is it scary?”

Tony nodded slightly and mouthed, “Yeah”.

Steve moved forward to get closer to Tony, “Why is it scary?”

Tony blinked rapidly and cleared his throat, “Cause the more people that you let into your life…uh, the more they can just… walk right out”.

Steve squeezed Tony’s hands, knowing what he was about to bring up was sensitive, “Just like your parents?” Tony didn’t dare look up because he didn’t want Steve to see his watery eyes, so he just swallowed and nodded. Steve did not want to press it further, so he continued, “Did you know that, that my dad left us?”

Tony took a big gulp and blinked back any tears before looking up again, “Yeah…Yeah, that was a while ago, right?” In his hands, he could feel Steve starting to tremble, so he tried to provide comfort with the same way he received it moments ago.

Steve stared off in the distance, his voice holding undertones of anger and disappointment, “Two summers ago. He’s got a new wife and kid now.”

Tony nudged Steve’s hands softly, “I’m so sorry”.

Steve brushed it off, “No, it’s uh, fine. I don’t… I don’t usually talk about it. I just felt like maybe you’d understand cause of your parents.” He immediately sat back up and let go of their hands, “Not that it is anywhere near the same thing”.

Tony gave out a lopsided smile because it was cute seeing Steve think he messed up, “No it’s totally fine, I completely understand.” He let out a sigh, “It’s hard, huh?”

Steve, meanwhile, found the corner of the wall very interesting, “It’s… whatever”. Tony knew these coping mechanisms by heart.

He thought about how he always avoided the topic of his parents. Tony himself never thought it was a sign of weakness, he just always thought nobody really understood. After all, how would he be able to justify he was a bit mad at his parents for leaving him alone that day, even if they did not play a hand in whatever happened? “We don’t have to talk about it, but Steve… it’s not whatever.”

This grabbed Steve’s attention back and he smirked, “I think it’s funny, you say you’re scared of commitment and relationships, but you don’t seem to be afraid to be with me”.

Tony was at a loss of words, “Uh… Well, there’s, there’s no reason to be”.

“Yeah?” Steve crossed his arms on the table, studying Tony, “Why’s that?”

Tony thought his heart might be shattering as he said, “Cause we’re just pretending”.

Hearing those words suddenly built a wall back between them, “Right. Of course, Tony Stark,” Steve proceeded to get up and leave, “ladies and gentlemen, you can count on him to be honest, always.”

Tony suddenly wished he hadn’t said that and was scared the moment between them had ended, “Wait, Steve… Are we cool?”

“Yeah, we’re fine, Stark. Thank you for coming to the party tonight.” They both passed a sad smile as Steve left the café.

On Tony’s way back home, he received the selfies Steve took and even saw him posting the one where Tony kissed Steve on Instagram. When he read the caption, he giggled to himself, _“Bae? Steve is a dork”_. He left a red heart emoji underneath, hoping to God they really were cool.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you think Tony is starting to develop real feelings for Steve or are they both just still pretending?
> 
> Where do you think this would end up?


	6. Phase III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Bruce confronts Tony, and Tony meets Steve's family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying to keep it mainly Tony's POV but here and there there are a couple of sentences aiding Bruce's and Steve's train of thoughts too to show the update on their dynamics with our boy :'D 
> 
> Enjoy ❤️

Fake dating Steve got easier and easier. Tony had fallen into a rhythm with all the attention and putting up with Sam’s insane nicknames for him. Of course, there were days he missed the older times, and wish he would disappear. Although, Steve’s kind eyes made it all worth it.

So, when Bruce Banner paid Tony a visit at home, he wasn’t ready.

“Can we talk now, please?”, Tony could see hints of green rage in Bruce’s eyes.

Tony closed the door behind him and signalled Bruce to move to the veranda instead, but before he even got there, Bruce bellowed, “I can’t believe you’re dating Rogers!”

“Why?” Tony pushed himself off the wall, he crossed his arms to build a physical barrier, “Is it so unbelievable that someone could like me?”

Bruce’s shoulders slumped, “No, it’s unbelievable that… you’re like this innocent, smart guy, and he? He’s a dick! I don’t get it.”

Tony pulled on his sleeves, “You know you make me sound really boring, right Bruce? I’m _not_ that innocent”.

Bruce scoffed, “Alright”. He had known Tony for years, but this wasn’t the Tony he knew. His Tony was more… more vulnerable yet more closed off to others at the same time. This Tony, while was definitely happier, was also foreign to Bruce now.

Tony barked back, “Okay! Well, great. If that was the reason you came over to talk to me…” He certainly missed Bruce and their friendship, but he was in no space for such negativity right now.

Bruce tried to stop Tony from entering back, “No, I… wait.” Tony turned around impatiently, “Did you mean what you wrote in the letter?”

Tony shuddered to look at the earnest look on Bruce’s face, “Look… I don’t…I don’t know, okay? It was a long time ago.”

Bruce started pleading, “Not for me, alright?” He gestured loosely between the two of them, “This is all new, I’m trying to understand here”.

Tony didn’t want to lie. Hell, he wasn’t lying, he thought to himself. He really no longer had a crush on Bruce soon after he broke up with Thor. “There’s nothing to understand.” Tony took a deep breath, “Look, it was a mistake. You should have never seen –“

“That’s the thing, Tony! I did see it! What am I supposed to do?” Bruce was genuinely deflated.

Tony shuffled from feet to feet, “Maybe… not tell Thor about it?”

“Thor’s been ignoring me!” Bruce bit his lip before speaking again, “Alright?” He lowered his voice, “You don’t have to worry about that.”

Tony whimpered, “I’m sorry… Thanks, I…” and headed for the door. He was at a loss of words and was certain he would start crying, thinking about the mess he has brought upon himself and on his friend.

Bruce spoke up again, in disbelief, “That’s it?! Thor dumps me, you’re dating Rogers, and we can’t even be friends anymore?”

Tony retorted, “Bruce, I don’t know how to be friends with you like this”. He passed a sad smile, “We can’t go back to how it was _before_ you and Thor were dating. We definitely can’t go back to how it was _when_ you and Thor were dating.”

Bruce shook his head, “If I’d known I was gonna lose both of –“

“This is where you zip it. Don’t finish that sentence, Bruce. Goodbye.” Tony knew his anger probably was not justified, but it still didn’t make it any less valid.

* * *

Steve was over at the Fury household, fulfilling clauses of his contract. He and Tony were just enjoying their popcorn, Tony’s head on Steve’s shoulder, when Steve suddenly wondered, “Why do you enjoy _Friends_ so much? Isn’t it considered kind of homophobic in today’s time?”

Tony felt a warmth spread across his body and he wasn’t sure if it was because of the deep baritone of Steve’s voice or because of the physical proximity, “Not ‘kind of’. Extremely homophobic.”

Steve turned to get a look at Tony, “So why do you like it?” as if Tony’s face would answer all of his questions.

Peter spoke up from the other end of the couch, “Why are you even asking that question?” He pointed at the screen, “Hello! Jennifer Aniston? Matthew Perry? Courteney Cox? Matt LeBlanc?”

Steve mocked, “I am _way_ better looking than Matt LeBlanc”.

The brothers sang in unison, “You wi-ish”, keeping their eyes glued to their TV screen where Joey keeps imagining Rachel kissing her sorority friend.

Steve braced himself, “Oh yeah?” Peter couldn’t see Steve so he tossed some cushions Peter’s way, “Incoming!” This turned into a mini pillow fight while Tony sat there, having a soft smile looking at his <strike>boyfriend</strike>, fake boyfriend and his brother bonding so well. He only wished Peter would not get too attached.

If he was honest with himself, he discarded that mental note to himself a while ago altogether. Beneath all that jock pretence, Steve was one of the nicest boys Tony knew. Even if it was fake, Tony liked it when Steve would check in on him whenever he had the time. He liked the fact that despite being a football captain, Steve _chose_ to spend time with Tony in the library or lab instead, just observing Tony’s mind at work. Tony got a weird sense of comfort from Steve’s presence as they sat together in silence but their knees and elbows would touch ever so frequently.

Apart from Vision, nobody ever really checked in on Tony at school. Not once. Then came in Steve.

Most of all, if there was something that he would miss, it would be Steve trying to get to know Tony for who he really was, underneath the defences. Nobody had been able to crack him open in such a short time as Steve did. So, adding up all the things, Tony was scared that when this fake dating ends, he would lose a friend too. Which was why he said yes to having dinner with Steve’s family, something about “making the most of it”.

* * *

“We’re so happy to finally meet you, Tony”, Sarah Rogers’ voice echoed in the quiet dining room, “Stevie tells me that you have two brothers.”

Tony put down his cutlery, trying to impress her with his politeness, “Yes, I have an older brother who just left to volunteer, and I have a younger brother, who’s Wanda’s age”. _What am I even impressing her for?_ as he remembered it was all fake anyway.

Sarah gave him a motherly smile, holding tinges of nostalgia, “Aww, well your mom must have had a tough time raising you heathens”.

Steve clenched his fists under the table, trying to keep his argument at bay, “Mom, I told you… Tony’s biological parents passed away when he was little”.

Tony could see Sarah cursing herself under her breath, “I am so sorry, Tony. I –“

Tony just shook his head, signalling her it was all fine, “Actually, she –“ He smiled involuntarily at the memories, “I did raise hell for her.” Steve passed on a worried gaze but Tony just squeezed Steve’s left hand softly for reassurance before resuming the food.

After dinner, Steve and Tony offered to clean up and Sarah gave them these teenagers their space. Tony sat on the kitchen countertop admiring the view he got as Steve bent down to load the dishwasher, “So, Wanda’s a pretty shy kid, huh?” Steve grunted in agreement, “I think Peter could help with that.”

Steve got up and sat next to him, nudging him in the process, “Yeah?”

Tony nudged him back, a smile escaping his lips, “Ahan… I think they would be good friends”. He jumped off the countertop to make sure everything was in the washer before they turned it on.

Steve watched Tony work, his movements quick as an eagle. He was wondering how a 16-year-old boy is living his life with so much burden, so he didn’t think twice before speaking up, “Hey, I’m really sorry about what my mom said to you.”

Tony’s heart melted to hear Steve sound so apologetic, “No, it’s okay…” He once again reeled the conversation he just had with Ms Rogers, “Honestly, you know, it’s nice talking about my parents like it’s normal”. He handed Steve a mug and plate as he continued, “Like… it’s not some tragedy.” They both passed each other a sad smile before Tony sat back on the countertop while Steve went to the dishwasher, “Is it weird not having your dad around?”

Steve took a deep breath before staring intently at Tony, “It’s not…” He looked away before fixing his gaze again, “as weird as it used to be. Sometimes, I walk around the house, and see he’s not in any photos anymore,” He turned to their living room, “I really miss him then”. Tony nodded in understanding, “But then I think about everything he’s doing with the _new_ family that he used to do with _us_, and I get so mad… I’m glad he’s gone”.

Tony gaped in disbelief, “You don’t mean that.” His voice started breaking, “You can be mad at someone and still miss them.”

Steve hesitated before engulfing Tony into a hug.

As much as Tony hated to admit, he was glad Steve couldn’t see his face right now, his face hidden in the perfect spot where Steve’s neck and shoulders meet. Though he always advocated for emotional counselling, when it came to himself, showing any signs of crying or sadness in front of somebody else was a weakness. Steve’s voice broke the silence, “I bet you really miss your parents, huh?”

Tony stayed numb for a while, thinking whatever he remembered about his parents. All the while, Steve murmured comforting things into his ear, rubbing his back to provide consolation to Tony. “Every day… But you know, it’s…” He hugged Steve a little tighter, “It’s been so long now that, like… Like, I’d be doing homework, or I will be making a new robotic design, and I’m thinking about my family… And the family I think about is Fury, Thor and Peter...” Tony resisted a sob, “I forget there was a time where it wasn’t just them.” Steve ran his hands through Tony’s hair, “And it only happens for like a quarter of a second, but I feel extremely guilty about it.” Tony felt Steve kiss his temple lightly and he would only tell himself later it was because he felt bad for his sorry ass. After a while, Tony pulled back, eyes still moist and red, “Thanks, Steve. I… I’ve never told anyone that before.”

Steve was unsure why he did that, but he held Tony’s face in his hands, rubbing his thumbs over his cheekbones, “I get it, Tony. It, it makes sense to me.” Tony held on to his hands while Steve looked down, “I don’t actually hate my dad… I didn’t mean it like that”. Tony rubbed Steve’s wrists which prompted him to look up, “At least he’s not… you know…”

“Dead?” Tony suggested.

Steve could see the pain in Tony’s doe eyes, just a tiny falter in his face that others would be oblivious to, “I’m sorry”. He badly wished to take all the pain away from his eyes and his face, but Steve knew it was not his place to do so.

Tony brought Steve’s hands off his face, but didn’t let go of them, “It’s okay. It’s… actually really nice having someone to talk to about this stuff.” He tried to lighten back the mood by scrunching his now red nose, “You’re a good listener, Cap.”

Steve caught on to that, and pulled Tony closer, “Yeah? You think so?” Tony laughed as he let go of Steve, though he immediately missed the contact. Steve took a deep bow, “Why thank you.” He waited for Tony’s laugh to subside before looking at him with intent, “You are, too.” Tony looked taken aback by the compliment and barely managed to mumble a “Thanks” which prompted a “You’re welcome” by an amused Steve who could no longer tell if Tony was red from the crying or the blushing.

Tony was slowly blurring the lines between pretending to date and pretending this fake dating was real.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me as I was watching the dinner scene and rewriting it: "aklDHKFBAGJoiwn"
> 
> I am a sucker for hugs and temple kisses imagine how soft and careful steve would be with tony :'D 
> 
> i just really miss my superhusbands, y'all 👊🏽


	7. Phase IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one where they get jealous

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for a short update this time but I promise the next chapters are quite long and worth it :D :D
> 
> Have fun <3 <3

“Remind me again why we have to eat _under_ the bleachers?”, Tony whined as he chewed on his subway.

“Dude! We can’t have these contraband Subway cups out in the open!”, Vision gestured at the sky, “Don’t want the powers-that-be catching on to my lunchtime truancy vibes." Tony giggled at his friend’s dramatic flairs, “P.S. that sub is toit, right?”

Tony was about to say his affirmations when they heard a voice from the bleachers, “I don’t know, Steve. It’s like you don’t have time for me anymore”, Vision looked up to see Nat settling with Steve, “All you do is hang out with Tony!” Vision passed a quick look to Tony, who suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable but looked up anyway.

They could hear Steve’s impatience from his voice, “Am I supposed to just wait around for you like an idiot, while you’re off with this college guy?”

Tony quickly wrapped his sandwich and mumbled, “We should get out, this sounds private”. He was scared of what Steve might say, and would rather leave it to his imagination than to know what Steve really thought of him because, for Tony, he was in this neck-deep already.

But Vision held him back, “Are you insane? That’s your boyfriend! And they’re talking about you!” Tony almost forgot Vision did not still know about the fake dating.

Steve’s voice broke their conversation, “Maybe he’s not at your beck and call like I am…” _Oh_, Tony thought. So, Steve still was in constant touch with her, “Nat, you can’t keep doing this to me”.

Even if Tony couldn’t see their faces, he could feel Nat’s eye roll, “But he’s not coming on the ski trip, is he? That’s… that’s _our_ thing”. The real question was, did Tony even want to go in the first place?

Suddenly, Steve sounded edgy, “What does it matter? You have a boyfriend.”

Tony was appalled at how indifferent Nat sounded, “Yeah…But… Maybe by then, I won’t”. If it were possible, Tony would apologize to Nat’s current boyfriend on her behalf. That stranger clearly didn’t deserve any of this. He couldn’t believe what he just eavesdropped.

On one hand, he was quite jealous of Nat and Steve having lunch together. When he had no rights to be. The whole fake dating was to ensure Nat and Steve get back together anyway. But on the other, not only was the realisation hitting him that his relationship, or friendship, with Steve all based on make-believe, but also, he felt quite bad for Steve for having a manipulative ex. It also didn’t help Nat almost always got what she wanted. So even if Tony wanted to keep Steve away from her and her traps, he couldn’t. He didn’t own Steve, after all.

* * *

“I’m sorry, I know you don’t want to hear about Steve stuff. But, I guess I needed to talk to someone I thought might understand.” Tony was pacing in the corridor. “I feel like the more used to him I get, the more it’s gonna hurt when he inevitably gets back with Nat.” He sniffed, “And I’m so mad at myself because I should’ve _seen_ this coming”.

Bruce leaned against the lockers, watching Tony walk back and forth, “Nah, I’m good.” He shuffled on his feet, “I don’t know what to tell you. That sucks... I’m sorry”.

The period bell rang and Steve got out of his homeroom only to see Tony and Bruce alone near the lockers, “Tony!” Tony wasn’t sure if he’d want to leave Bruce just yet since they were finally talking again.

Bruce scratched his brow, “Want me to wait?”

Tony looked from Steve to Bruce, “Uh, no, you’d better not”. He quietly walked past him to approach Steve who looked quite grumpy.

Steve grabbed Tony by his forearms, using more force than usual, rage building up in his eyes, “What do you think people are gonna say when they see my boyfriend cosying up to Banner?”

Tony winced, “You’re hurting me. Let go.” He saw a flash of hurt in Steve’s eyes as he left Tony, but he thought if Steve could get mad at him for talking to a friend and neighbour, Tony had all the right to get mad at Steve too, “I don’t know Steven Rogers, what do you think people are gonna say when they hear that you’re practically _begging_ to get back with Nat on the bleachers?”

It infuriated him even more when instead of showing any guilt, Steve just turned it back on him, “So you’re spying on me now?”

Tony scoffed in disbelief, “Not intentionally.” He speed-walked into an empty aisle, hoping that was the end of the conversation. Maybe if they never talked about this again they would fall out and they could end this fake relationship before Tony got more hurt.

But of course, Steve would follow him, Tony could tell as Steve’s voice trailed behind him “Okay, so I was talking to Nat. What about it?” Tony suddenly felt nauseous, _was Steve hearing himself? _“You don’t even post about us on your Instagram!”

Tony turned around in a flash to confront him, “Yeah because I don’t want my brothers to see!”

Steve derided, “Yeah, like Peter’s gonna care”.

Tony gaped at the ridiculousness of it all, “I’m not talking about Pete, I’m talking about Thor. He doesn’t know…” He took a deep breath before continuing, “Look, Steve. I don’t think either one of us thought this was going to go on for this long. But, Bruce and I are cool… Nat’s _officially_ jealous, I think that we need to call it.” _There, he said it. This was self-care._

Steve started shaking his head and motioning no with his hands, his voice suddenly demanding, “I _cannot_ believe you’re trying to break up with me before the ski trip. That’s in the contract!”

Tony sulked, “Only _if_ we’re still together”. He was confused why Steve would vow on fake dating even now when Nat already offered herself back to him.

“We _are_ still together,” Steve insisted, “You… You’re just trying to pull out because you’re scared.”

Tony crossed his arms, it sounded to him Steve was on the line of attack, “What do _I_ have to be scared about?”

Steve threw his arms in the air in irritation, “You tell me, Stark”.

Tony almost did. He almost told his fake boyfriend he couldn’t go on the trip with him because he now had real feelings for him and his laugh and his golden hair and steel blue eyes, his everything that encompassed Steve.

What he actually declared was, “I’ll go if Viz goes”.

* * *

When Tony got home later that day, he was surprised to see Fury have company in the form of Vision, “Hey Fury! Didn’t know we had guests. What’s up, Viz?”

Fury looked heavenward, “Thank you! You’ve just saved me from an awkward conversation. I’ll head into my room and give you kids your space.”

Tony chuckled as Fury walked away, “What was _that_ about?”

Vision patted the seat next to him, inviting Tony to come over, “Nothing, just asked him whether I should look at his eye or his patch when he is talking”. Tony had only just settled in when he threw another question, “Why’s your boyfriend harassing me about coming on the ski trip? You _know_ I don’t do school functions.”

Tony had a knowing smirk on his face, “Yes, and that is why I told him I would only go if you would, _knowing_ that you wouldn’t”.

Tony could practically hear the gears in Vision’s brain making sense of this, “But wait, you have to go! Nat’s definitely gonna make a move on Steve if you stay home.”

His face went blank, “So let her…” He slumped further into the sofa, “I’m sick of having her little snake eyes on me _all_ the time”.

Vision was outraged, “Dude! No! Nat always gets whatever she wants, and it’s bullshit… This time, you get Steve. Have you seen you two?” Tony wondered then if he should simply tell Viz the truth, “I’ll make sure of it. I’m coming on that trip.”

Tony eyed his friend, remembering how he first met Vision, “I’m exhausted of you using me to get back at Nat, you know?”

Vision just sneered, “It’s not just that…” He stopped to look at Tony sincerely, “Since you’ve been with Steve, well, I don’t know, Tones… I’ve never seen you so happy”. Tony was touched by this statement, wanting to revel at this moment as long as he could. He dared to pretend it would last forever.

“Son, he’s right”, Fury’s voice echoed behind them. He looked only slightly guilty as the two boys stared at him, “I’m sorry, I wasn’t eavesdropping…” Tony’s eyes widened, “But I haven’t seen you have so much fun going to parties and making new friends”. He let out a satisfactory sigh, “You made this old man very happy”. He ruffled Tony’s hair and went back to his room.  


Vision attempted to hold back a smile, “That was kind of sweet of him”. When he and Tony finally made eye contact, they both burst out laughing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now opening bets on what you think might happen on the trip:
> 
> Leave your ideas in the comments in 3... 2... 1...


	8. Phase V

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The make-or-break for Tony and his relationships.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was one of my personal fave chapters bc overall it's quite soft with Stevetony but also bc I love the friendship dynamic of RhodeyTony in this :) Enjoy ❤️

Tony had mixed feelings about this trip, mostly negative. His instincts told him this would be his make-it-or-break-it with Steve, and consequently with Nat too. So, to avoid any trouble, he had decided he would stay with Vision the entire trip.

But when he stepped into the bus, his eyes immediately fell on Steve. His tousled hair implied that he felt sleepy, and well, why wouldn’t he? They all gathered at 7 in the morning for this. Steve passed him a sweet, lazy, morning smile and waved Tony over to the seat next to him. In a literal sense, he looked like an angel.

Tony wore his sunglasses and walked right past the seat but Steve held him by the wrist, “Tones? Where are you going?”

He tried breaking free from his grip, “I’m gonna go sit with Viz”.

Steve turned around to check the back of the bus, his voice pleading, “Viz? Come on, look at him. He’s sleeping. I saw his Snapchat, he was up all night at this Rolling Stones concert”.

Tony gently pulled his hand back once he felt Steve’s grasp loosening, “Well… that’s more reason to go sit with him.” He went for a joke, trying to diffuse this awkward tension, “Don’t want him to go swallowing his tongue or anything”. He threw a peace sign before silently cursing himself. As he settled in next to Viz, he saw Nat sit with Steve. He couldn’t hold the irritation in as Nat passed Tony a winning smile, and ended up elbowing Vision, “This was a mistake”. Nat wanted to turn this into a game, and Tony, as everyone knew, hated losing.

Fortunately, Vision just let it slip. He rolled over to Tony’s side and let his head rest on his shoulder, “Tell me about it. I can’t believe I let you convince me to go on a trip that requires getting up before 7.”

* * *

“Who even goes to a Rolling Stones concert on a school night?”

Vis rolled his eyes hard, still half-asleep from his bus nap, “Lots of people do. Now pick up your luggage and let’s go in. I can’t wait to sleep properly on a bed!”

Sam was their unofficial “chaperone”, which Tony knew just screamed a _bad idea_. He was shortly proven right when Sam announced he was discarding their assigned rooms system and let everyone sleep wherever they wanted.

It escalated from bad to worse when Nat shouted from the floor above, “See you on Black Diamond, Steve? The last one down the slope owes the other a hot toddy”. She swiftly eyed Tony before winking at the blond.

Tony had hoped Steve would say no. Or do something which would humiliate Nat on the spot. He had hoped Steve would be his saving grace. Instead, he just made puppy eyes at Tony’s direction.

Vision nudged him by the elbow, “Go get your man.”

“Are you kidding me?” Tony spat out, “He wants this! He’s making puppy eyes at me because he’s going to do that and feels sorry for my sorry ass. He always felt sorry for me, nothing more. No trust.” Vision rubbed Tony’s arms to soothe him, “Besides, I can’t go down the Black Diamond, I don’t even know how to put on the boots” This last bit Tony admitted rather guiltily.

“If you’re _not_ gonna ski,” Tony wasn’t sure why Viz found this amusing, “what are you planning on doing all weekend?”

Tony excitedly flipped his backpack over, “I came prepared”. He took out his Physics textbooks and half-finished blueprints of a machine he was going to build, or well, was hoping to if Fury would just give him access to the SHIELD lab. This was one of the times Tony regretted talking shit about SHIELD. Karma. _Karma_. Tony thought to himself how some people should have been the recipient of it way before he was.

His friend did not think it was a bright idea, clearly since Vision now had a patronizing tone, “Oh no sweetheart, how does it feel to have a sad life?” Tony’s face fell flat until he heard Vision calling for Rhodey.

He joined the two of them, “What’s up, dudes?”

Vision put his arm around his shoulder as if they were the best of buddies, Tony just scoffed because _why are all his worlds colliding and colluding_, “Can you help me convince Tones to come ski with us?”

Rhodey just stared at Vision in disbelief, “Yeah, right. You think I’m going skiing? It’s cold outside… I don’t do cold”.

Tony nodded zealously, “Oh, Rhodes, I’ve got a miniature arc reactor. Fury gave me one from the SHIELD research”. Rhodey slipped away from Viz and stood next to Tony in one swift stride.

* * *

Tony thought that maybe if he loses a friend in Steve, he ended up gaining a real one in Rhodey. So, he told him everything while they were trying to figure out the mechanisms of the reactor.

Rhodey shook his head as he sighed, “So… you guys have been faking it this entire time?”

Tony pointed at Rhodey with his screwdriver, “Yes, and you have to promise not to tell anyone, okay?” He leaned back on his side of the bed, “It’s just… I’m so confused… Just had to let it out”. Rhodey passed him a sympathetic smile, “Thanks and sorry for all this mess on a ski trip”.

Rhodey turned to get a better look at his crazy genius friend, “I do not care about the origin of it all. I just know homeboy likes you! I can tell by the way he looks at you… It’s how Carol and I look at each other.” Tony was not sure if he was hallucinating or if Rhodey really did sound like one of those people from the movies who were in love.

Maybe it was time he got an outsider perspective, after all. He felt a little hopeful but tried to play it nonchalant, “_How_ does he look at me?”

Rhodey smirked, as if already waiting to answer that question, “Like you’re a sexy little Rubik’s Cube. No pun intended on the little.” Tony shook his head while letting out a snigger, “He can’t figure you out, but he’s having fun trying”.

Tony started clearing out all the tools from his bed, “It doesn’t matter, he’s still _so_ obsessed with Nat, and I’m just another one of the stupid people who fell for Rogers”. Rhodes rolled his eyes at his deflection, but Tony just continued, “It’s embarrassing!”

Rhodey sat up straighter, hoping to come off more authoritative, “Alright… Look, every guy, gets a bit obsessed with, at first…you know? _Bow chica wow wow_…” Tony gawked at his friend because _they were 16, why not just say sex_? But Rhodey just shook his head, “Okay, let’s look at the facts, shall we?”

Tony agreed. He wasn’t sure what he was wishing to hear because the only fact right now was Nat and Steve are close with each other again.

“The whole fake relationship was _his_ idea, _you_ came up with a no-kissing rule, and _you’re_ the one who keeps trying to break up, and you’re also currently carb-loading with one of the only few straight men in your life, while Steve is probably waiting for you in the hot tub.” It took Tony a total of 8 seconds to comprehend what Rhodey just said about Steve, “So I’d say if anyone stupidly fell for someone who doesn’t like them back, it’s not you… It’s Rogers.”

Tony scrunched his nose, “You think he’s waiting for me in the hot tub?” _It couldn’t be_, he thought to himself in anticipation, as he fixed his appearance and bolted for the door.

Rhodey gestured with his hand for Tony to shoo, “Oh hell yeah!”

* * *

The Christmas lights in the lodging were blue, _much like the water in the tub, and Tony’s mood, and Steve’s eyes_, Tony noticed as he stole a glance at Steve from behind one of the hideous Christmas trees.

It was funny Rhodey would say Steve was trying to figure Tony out because if anything was true, it was the other way around. Even now, with Steve being all alone in the tub, Tony could not for the life of God figure out what went on in that exquisite Captain’s head.

_“So I’d say if anyone fell for someone who doesn’t like them back, it’s not you… It’s Rogers.”_

Tony smiled thinking back about what he was just told, and took a bold move to step out of his hiding spot, “All by yourself out there?”

Steve just peered at his direction with a miserable expression before looking the opposite way. And maybe that hurt Tony, _just a little_, but he backed himself up. This was his make-or-break.

Tony took his time walking around the tub, “What, now you’re ignoring me?”

Steve, on the other hand, just scoffed, “Oh, I’m the one ignoring you?” He tilted his head at Tony and nodded, quickly turning away before Tony noticed, “That’s funny”. His tone was dripping with sarcasm and Tony was quite certain this was one of his legacies.

He hated the pout forming on Steve’s face. _Has Tony ever mentioned Steve looks like a cute adorable perfect golden retriever? _As Tony approached the entrance of hot tub, he was becoming more and more sure of the fact that mayhap, he was completely and hopelessly in love with this man. He sat at the edge, testing the waters. Literally and metaphorically.

“Sorry, I’m not a good skier… In fact, I don’t even know _how_ to skate. You didn’t even offer to teach me,” he hugged his knees while watching Steve sulking.

Steve tried to look anywhere except Tony, but failed miserably, “Am I supposed to be sweet to you after you don’t even sit with me on the bus ride up here?”

Tony put his feet in the water, “Shouldn’t you be _thanking_ me, that you got to sit next to who you _actually_ wanted?” He really had to stop resorting to detachment when he really liked something.

Steve ran his hands through his hair and his pout was slowly coming off. Tony wasn’t sure if he liked the slick hair more or if he was missing the pout already, “For someone who has such good grades, you can be so dense sometimes.”

Commenting on Tony’s intelligence was the last thing he thought anyone would ever say, especially in such a context, so he muttered a “What?” earnestly.

“Yeah, I,” Steve let out a sigh before locking Tony with his gaze, “I wanted to sit next to _you_, Tony… I even packed the food.”

Tony could feel his heart picking up pace, “I don’t get it…”

It was now Steve’s turn to look a little guilty, peering Tony down with his sea of blue, “I asked Pete where to find those shawarmas you like so much.”

Tony got it. “That store is all the way across town!”

Steve pressed his lips into a tight smile, slumping his shoulders, “I know… So, if I went all the way across town to get you something you like, then that means –“

Tony splashed some water around with his legs, trying to hide his shyness and eagerness, “- You must really like Shawarma?”

Steve splashed some water with his hands haphazardly in Tony’s direction, “You are impossible”. To Tony, it sounded more like fondness than frustration.

Tony took a moment to gaze at Steve. Really looked at him.

If three months ago, somebody told him he would be fake dating one of his ex-crushes which eventually would turn very real, he would have laughed at their faces. Now, sitting in front of Steve, on the verge of something so surreal, he realised how lucky he was to even have shared such moments with him. “I’m sorry I didn’t sit next to you.”

Steve gave him another one of his intimate smiles, “It’s alright… Sit next to me now, maybe?”

Tony’s sight dropped to Steve’s lips, the lips which held so much promise all of a sudden. He licked his own as a reflex and decided to just go for it. He immersed into the tub, “Mind if I stay in front of you?”

Steve flushed, “Uh, if it meant I get to keep looking at your beauty…I mean, you… I’d like that… very much.”

Tony stopped just inches away from Steve’s face, “So. Here I am. Hi.” From this space, Tony could see the reflection of the water on Steve’s slightly flushed cheeks and maybe there was never a more beautiful thing he had seen in life.

“This feels like the first time,” Steve mumbled as he grabbed Tony by his waist to close the gap.

Tony wrapped his own arms around Steve’s neck, “Oh, please, we’ve done this, like, twice,” He just couldn’t stop grinning.

Their noses bumped, “There’s no one like you, Stark”. And then, Steve finally, _finally_, met Tony.

It was everything and nothing like how Tony described it in his letters. When Steve stole the grin from his face, he replaced it with a warmth that Tony had never experienced before. He wanted to ingrain this moment in his memory forever lest nothing as pure as this happens to him. But for once, he wanted to savour it all. He felt Steve smiling against him when Tony’s hands went into his hair and he amusingly pulled back to look at his boyfriend.

Steve thought he messed up so he started rambling about how he misread the situation and how he was _so so so sorry_ but when Tony started laughing heartily, Steve stared at him dumbfoundedly, “What?”

“Third time’s a charm, they say. I just learnt that you have a sensitive scalp and you liked it when I touch it. Definitely going in my records.” He saw Steve redden, “Maybe you want to see how it works out the fourth time?”

* * *

Tony helped Steve dry off and put him in a robe as they walked back to their respective rooms. On his way, he couldn’t help but keep snuggling next to Steve, not quite believing that this was _real_.

Tony kept walking for his room, but Steve stopped midway, pulling Tony back by his hand to steal one more kiss. “You know, you look adorable now that we’re out of the tub and you actually have to tiptoe to kiss me.”

“Make fun of me or my height again and I _will not hesitate_ to stop kissing you,” but he went in for it anyway.

He brushed Tony’s hair strand away from his forehead, “Goodnight, Tony”.

“Goodnight Stevie.” That night was the best sleep Tony had ever had.

* * *

When Tony got back on the coach bus, everyone was cheering and clapping. For some inexplicable reason, they were cheering for _him_. Suddenly, he felt vulnerable. He rushed to the seat next to Steve, worry evident on his face.

“Hey love,” Tony let Steve kiss his forehead, “you didn’t tell anyone about last night, did you?”

“No, that’s just how people act with couples on the ski trip,” Steve intertwined their hands, “I missed you. Glad to know we’re on a nicknames basis now.” He passed Tony a reassuring smile, “Hey, I’m tired. Can I use you like a pillow?” Tony nodded eagerly and placed his own head on Steve’s, falling asleep peacefully on the ride back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHH THEY KISSED FORREALS THIS TIME  
I LOVE MY BABIES SO MUCH!! THEY'RE SO HAPPY (but not for long... I can assure you)

**Author's Note:**

> I have tried my best to try and form the high school cliques based on Team Iron Man/Team Cap in CA:CW hehe xx
> 
> I would love it if you could leave comments/kudos/anything ❤️
> 
> Feel free to find me on:  
Tumblr @icandothisalldayy  
Twitter @rpndpkr
> 
> I will be trying to make updates every Tuesday and Friday so the fic should not take too long to complete!


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